http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?bw.012803/230282058&ticker=MDLK
Yep, it turns out, the reputation institute ranks Microsoft as having the best corporate reputation in America. How this makes sense, I'm not sure, especially if you look at their criteria... "Each company is scored based on how many positive and negative reputation --driving attributes are found within each story. These attributes are classified into the six dimensions of the Harris-Fombrun Reputation Quotient: emotional appeal, products and services, vision and leadership, workplace environment, social responsibility and financial performance." I think they can only qualify for financial performance, and perhaps workplace environment (although I've never been in their office, so I can't say about that one). They are doing well financially, as we all know, though. Yearly earnings per share of 1.74, price per earnings of 28.06, and of course their market cap or a mere $261 Billion. That's a thousand million for you kooky Britts. -Eric Hattemer